Grey River Argus and Blackball News

Grey River Argus, 30 December 1915, Page 2

Grey River Argus and Blackball News

D«lJvered uvety mQcniag In Qreymcmtb Jiaioara, Hokitikft, Oob'tou, Wailieuu, Taylor TiJJe, Bcnunei ton, btiLlwmter. Ngfthpte, Blao^ball, jMelsoa Crotk, Ahaura, Ikaaiavua; Waiuta, Boetton, Cronoauu, Kiu auga, iionollie, Cobden, ilaxtfti'i. B.Qkm, Vavara, . Kaimata, Anfika, Kotuliu, JAoaua, Ruru, Te Kinga, Aoiojxmuu' Poeraa, I bounio, Jaoknopi* »ud Osini WED^i ESDA X,. Dceomber 29th, 1915. ' THE- inhimfeiii methods with which the Germans have conducted the \yiiv aiie at length bearing fruit. Twelve -months ago the fruit. Twelve months ago the Bid* tMi soldier fought -the Germans bravely, but there Avas no hatred ■or' animosity shown. . Since that undefended.- towns by' German. Zeppelins, the sinking of defenceless vessels by German submarines, and last but not least, the murder of Nurse Cavell. This series of crimes has aroused the hatred of the Britis hsoldier against the whole German race, and he iioav lights- the Teutons not because ..it is his duty to do so, but because he, iiiuis the greatest pleasure in riddiniv' the Avorld' of as many Bosches as he possibly can before lie hiuiself' goes lincie'r; Last year when Christmas Day came round the British Tommies met the ' (AVi'maii overtures tor a trucp '.with' the greatest 'enthusiasm and in many parts of the front British ana German soldiers fraternised .i'veely. Not so this year. Tlie British curtly ref us-" ed all the German offers of a truce, and throughout Christmas Day the British pourea thousands of shells into the, German defences, and from morn till night, there ;was a never ceasing din of haevy guns. The Britisher is very, hard to rouse from Shis usual state of apathy . and selfrconnaence, but -lie; is- at least beginning to realise the fact that lie is up against a powerful and merciless enemy, and that he must fight with all the resources at his command if he wishes to win through. .Thore is, however, a certain section of

the British public who, in spite of all that they have soon and heard, persist in this old policy of limddlins>- alon<r.» and imfortiuiatcly tliey main confidenco in their attitude by the action of rnfemfoers oi the British Cabinet, who for the sake of a few* 1 voles, are afraid to declare openly that conscription, in a modified form at least, must be introduced in,, the Brtiisli Empire, if we are to give our Allies the iissistaiice that they can rightfully expect from such a powerful nation as Britain is- known to be. In spite of all Lord Derby's efforts it scents very evident that a far from negligible quantity., of thje- unmarried men. in Great Britain refuse to carry oiit their obligations) and join .the colours. These shirkers shbiild be compelled to face, their obligations, foi* their attitude is preventing- a large number of married ilien who arc ciuito willing to serve from ■dft'eriiiff. their services. Thousands of married men have declared that they will, go to the front, and they make only one proviso, and that a just one, tiz.,, that the single m ; en shall first of all be called upon. Why it should be necessary to put the country to the expense of a general election tb ascertain Avhether tlie young unmarried men shoiild be compelled to do their duty it is difficult to understand. In normal tinned the people of Great Britain prefer voluntary enlistment to conscription, but the times arc not normal aud no true Britisher would coimtimance a method which allows shirkers to live under the. British Flag, enjoy all the 'privileges that its presence lentails and yet refuse to raise a hand in its defence. '-An Australian Major, writing froni the Dardanelles, makes a, stirring appeal for more mos.. He says "Anyhow, as far as an enemy goes, the gemeral opinion of our troops here is that they would rather shake, hands with the Turkthan with the young natives . of Australia who could come, but who who do not. Wo know there are thousands who could come, and whose absence would not impair the wheels of production and commerce. Thousands amongst them there are who say, 'We" will go when we arc wanted.' Great Julius Caesar! They are wanted now — every man who can come ik wanted here as soon as he can gel here. Do they think that we want to sit down bere for another year? Do they think that we would be sitting here now ii' we were not obliged. to> through lack of sufficient numbers to rush on, ciud 021, and oil, and thereby prevent the enemy from digging hiniself in that he may' slay ten times the number when an advance is made — sufficient to hold ourselves on the peninsula in spite of. all the enemy's efforts? Do they thinlc that, we have sufficient for the job i Do they think that Lone Pine and Quinn's Post and other battles were fought jus-trd'or the sake of blood-spilling 1 Do they realise that it is cheaper to pour thousands of lives into .the 'caul" dron in one day and gain an ob; jective than it is to. sit ,down fo/ j Aveeks looking at it while it daily becomies a stronger" death-trap^ Do they think Av.e.have plenty of exercise, on the beach, /bask in tire sunshine, and dress for dinner? (We cannot even undress to go to sleep. ) tl is not fair that because men are here doing their work, and still able to do' it that- they should be k-ept here month aftet* month, until they break down in health- — physically, or.' -mentally— or both. Do they think that oui* spare men may go out for (daily exercise, and in doing so get relaxation from any thought of dan ger — -or that we, have' any place at all where we may go arid fe'e.ini; niime from' danger, outside of the strongest shell-proof dug-out? Do they thin kof the feelings of those few officers and men who landed here 011 April 25, and who fought through a hailstorm of bullets and a tornado of shells ; who went through hell, and some of tjiem lfave repeated it since (and there are still some of them: left}? Dp th bse ' stay-at-home-comje-conie-. they think of the feelings of those men's feelings, who know they have' earned a rest? Do they think ; .anything ? Havti they h. thought or a care for the Avomeii at horne — m;others, wives, sisters, daughters — -whose men arc liere, or have been, and arc coining along again daily as they become fit to take iip tlieir*old place in the firina-iine? Do they realise that every hour we are away is a dragging,, wearing, mental' strah.i on our women at home, who would be almost afraid if they saw. a minister, of their faitli approachin<? lest' he be the bearer of ill; news? .Do they realise what it will mean to them for , all . their liv.o's in the districts they now live in sliould the day arrive when the call is brought to thehi : by the po lice that they sliall neport as 'coiir scripts', for service? Do the^ know that the troops who have come voluntarily^ will ask for a distinctive badge that they shall be known to each other, and to all others? as the men who came at the call of. duty? Do they realise that .suchj a stigma will cljiig . to them for all their lives? Most of them have sisters, and some pi them sweethearts. Do tbey: ever eohsider-what may happen, to those girls, and in the years to come to the girls yet uiibpth, id- those devils were to-win? Tbe Avar, is . not wonjyet, biit it 'will be if we can get enough soldiers. Of that Aye have no .dbiibt. There are any amount to be hacl, but Aye wttlit thefia as volunteers — not

pressed men." Mr Lloyd Coofso ] . who is without doubt, .the fore-, most man in the British political world to-day, has thrown down the guage to the .anti-conscri})-tionists in the Cabinet, and statc-s most emphatically that if the ipruar'ried m'cn not compelled to serve then he Avill resign from the Cabinet. This is a straightfor ward declaration and will bring matters to an immediate' crisis. We are convinced that Lloyd George has not only the majority of people in his favour in Britain, but also throughout the. Empire— Run anga and Millefton excepted. ' No tenders were received for ; the purchase and removal of • the Grey District- High School at the advertised hour of closing- for same, and in all probability the Grey Education Board will again call .for tenders for the old wooden building. We have just cleared a turer's stock of blouses and collarettes at a large discount. The blouses are in all materials, silk, voiles, print poplins, muslins, etc. Prices rnn -from 2/11 to 21/- each. The collarettes are all this season f s goods, and are real bargain prices, from 6d to 3/(5. Hardly'two alike, as they are genuine samples.;—^^Valker, Boundary Street. — Advt Presents for Christmas SeasonSmart Bags in silk and leather, Handkerchiefs, from 2d. to 2/G each. White Kid Gloves, three buttons, French make at 4/6. Purfumes, Hosiery, Gent.'s Socks, etc, at Walker % "Boundary Street.— Advt. The Railway Department advertise that on January ist.Tne usual 7.40 a.m. train,. Hokitika to Greymouth, will -start earlier, leaving Hokitika . at 6.g0 a.m. and connecting with train to Otira. ■ -\- ■■. ■ Come and se what we can do iv Summer Dress tioods. We have a magnificent stock , in striped arid spot Voiles, Crepes, Tobralco, Prints, Zephrs, Muslins, etc.— Walker's, Boundary Street.— Advt. Your Xmas Presntation Goods may be purchased sit much, lower tlian the usual price at B. Dixon's Tainui btreet TJ/e complete stocks of Books, Fancy (loods and Toys are selling rapidly. Come in and secure your share. — Advt. The Association advertise in this issue the holiday arrangements in connection with the drapery tirade. Xmas Week at W. McKay and Son. I Snap, iip the Bargain lines offering at imr store for Xiiias week. High grade blouses at 3/9 worth double. Snap some of the cheap hats offering in the showroom special hats , offering. Children^ millinery and slimmer dresses W. M'KAY, AND SON, the Leading Drap ers, Greymouth ,Hokitika, and Nelson. —Advt. An advertiser in this issue wishes to get into direct touch with mills producing Riniu and White Pine, with a view to making contracts. For further particulars see advertisement. Come - 7 to B. D*ixon^s early and secure you- ras Presentation Goods. A large and, varied stock of dainty and useful articles at reasonable prices awaits your inspection Lore. — Advt. Don't have. one moment's hesitation where to buy if in search of Men's Wear for the holidays, as R. Hempseed, whose shop- is- in Tainui Street^ is a specialist in this line, arid stocks •the most stylish, as well, as the most durable lines on the West Coast.. When, in town for the races let R. Hempseed fit you out. He is a 'sport' of no mean order, and has the goods to sell. A brown Irish terrier dog with a history is at present filling in his quarantine period at ''Quail Island. He was owned by the late Captain Anthony Wilding, arid was in the trenches at his master's side • when the gallant tennis champion* met with his death. His dog escaped injury. "Samson" was nailed after . the famous English aviator and daring armoured motor-car hero, Commander C. K. Samson.- For a. long time after Captain Wilding's death the dog was kept at the St. Paul Aerodrome, Dunkirk, the, base of the Koyal Naval Air Service. Subsequently he ' 'flew by aeroplane from Dunkirk to, England with Cohiniarider Chilebtc/ and ,;'wus thcucc shipped to Captain W ildi ng •' s parents -in Chris tchurch by the^Remuora, at Lyttelton some duys a§o. On the terrier's collar is inscribed his jLiaine and the words: '.'No. : 2 Squadron .Armoured Motor^ (Sail i'or Buinetinie past, ' Mr. A. E. Tyer has been endeavouring to : start, t'ruitcauiiijig ■ work's in thc;.M;qtueka district (bays the -Nelson "Mail"), -and says that hp/Eas'hp.w. succeeded in inaking ; final arraiigeineiits. For years Mi* Tyer has advocated this business to : ■ save waste. He states that he was in an orchard at Ngatiuioti when the finest ten-year-old English pliim trees were cut down for firewood for want of canning facilities. The same thing applied to the dairy industry 25 years .ago, but directly the factory started the price of butter advanced. . Mr. Tyer " further states that he has contracted for all; the. fruit he requires for the coming season, and is in the happy - position of having mio're orders in -hand i'or .the eannedarticle. than he can possibly do this-year.. The labour difficulty he has solved by simply ' ' gettii%' it. ' ' Mr: Tver is satisfied that by capable management arid practical- knowledge of; all dcpartmeirts, .fruit , preserving can be made to pay,' and that it^ will prove of great, profit" to the growers, as it takes up all grades- and supplies v . districts which are unable to get the raw article.

Mr. W.H. Field, M.P., has been interesting- himself in the leakage of gold coins from the country. In a letter received, from a well-known business man, Mr. Field is informed that the Chinese do not get the money from the banks. They purchase it from outsiders, paying a premium. of Is to Is 6d in the £. "I venture to say writes Mr. Field's informant) that every Chinaman who leaves this Dominion to return to China takes from 100 to 200 sovereigns with him, and I main.tain that this gold; goes into the hands gl the enemies of the British Empire . when it reaches China, and the gold • taken out of the British Dominions iand colonies jn one year by Chinese returning to China, would run into many tousands'of pounds. If these facts were brought before the present Minister of Finance, and "were by him brought under the- notice of the Secretary for the Colonies, action would be taken to stop this trafiie by Chinamen in Eritisa gold; " Mr. Field brought the matter under the notice of the Minister of Finance, and has been asked by himi to obtain particulars of any cases where it is suspected that Chinese have been accumulating and exporting sovereigns. The Government has already taken, measures to prevent the export of gold coins by Chinese, and if there are' still cases where it is suspected that the law is being evaded, the proper preventive steps will be taken.